She said it argued charging market rent ignored the benefits Elderly Persons’ Housing brought to the community and harmed already vulnerable people. The decision to impose market rent was out of line with the approach taken by other councils, she said. The council had not properly taken into account its policy on elderly persons’ housing or its current long-term plan, she said. Council property and facilities manager Mike Kerr said the CODC had long had a policy of charging market rents. The procedures in its policy on elderly persons’ housing were guidelines for staff processes and information to help deal with new tenant applications, he said.

Source: Otago Daily Times November 11, 2016 17:08 UTC